7 months ago
India Asserts Shaksgam Valley Claim
The Shaksgam Valley is a disputed area that was once part of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
China has been building roads and construction camps there, which India says is illegal.
India has always said that the 1963 agreement between China and Pakistan about this area is not valid.
Pakistan also has some wrong ideas about Kashmir, but historical documents and UN resolutions show that Pakistan cannot claim sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
A British officer named Major Brown illegally gave Gilgit to Pakistan in 1947, and the British parliament later confirmed that Gilgit-Baltistan is part of Jammu and Kashmir.
India is concerned about China's actions but has not said what it will do about them.
India asserts that the Shaksgam Valley is part of its territory and the 1963 China-Pakistan agreement is illegal.
China has been developing infrastructure in the Shaksgam Valley, connecting it to Pakistan, Xinjiang, and Tibet.
India has protested against China's actions and reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests.
Pakistan's claims on Kashmir are based on misinterpretations of UN resolutions and historical events.
Major William Alexander Brown, a British officer, illegally handed over Gilgit to Pakistan in 1947, and the British parliament later confirmed Gilgit-Baltistan as part of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Who
- India, China, Pakistan
- What
- Dispute over the Shaksgam Valley and its territorial claims
- Where
- Shaksgam Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Jammu and Kashmir
- When
- Ongoing, with recent developments in 2023-2024
- Why
- Historical events, territorial disputes, and infrastructure development by China
Key facts
- Shaksgam Valley
- Formerly part of Jammu and Kashmir, now occupied by China
- 1963 Agreement
- China-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' deemed illegal by India
- Infrastructure Development
- China has built roads and construction camps in the valley
- Border Length
- India's border with China is 4,056 km, not 3,488 km
- UN Resolutions
- Pakistan cannot claim sovereignty over J&K, per UN resolutions
- Gilgit-Baltistan
- Part of Jammu and Kashmir, illegally occupied by Pakistan
- Major William Alexander Brown
- British officer who handed Gilgit to Pakistan in 1947
- British Parliament Resolution
- Confirmed Gilgit-Baltistan as part of Jammu and Kashmir in 2017
Quotes
Randhir Jaiswal
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson
“Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' signed in 1963. We have consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid. ...We have consistently protested with the Chinese side against attempts to alter the ground reality in the Shaksgam Valley. We further reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests.”
rediff.com
Olivier Guillard
Researcher at CERIAS (Universite du Quebec, Canada)
“China has been illegally developing operational infrastructure, especially the Shaksgam Valley Road under three main tracks: Track 1 enters Shaksgam Valley from the northwestern side at Sokh Bulaq and [then] follows the Shaksgam river for 70 km. Track 2 from the Balti Brangsa towards the Shaksgam Pass. A third track is being developed since 2023 from Kul [Yilike] across the Aghil Pass presumably towards Skardu. It currently measures 117 km in length and 5 metres in width. Additionally, China has established new construction camps in March 2024 that each have containerised housing modules, a concrete batch plant, rock grinding equipment, additional support facilities and a sizeable fleet of heavy construction equipment and light vehicles. By early May 2024, numerous flood control ditches were also noted to protect these new constructions.”
rediff.com
Jalil Abbas Jilani
Minister in Pakistan's caretaker government
“Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
rediff.com
